Euronews

“No to Brussels, yes to France” has been Marine Le Pen’s campaign slogan. It is a clear message that has helped her mobilise supporters of the Front National.

The party’s aim is to limit the power of the European Parliament and put an end to what the party calls the “crazy machine” that is the EU. In order to achieve those objectives Le Pen has forged alliances with eurosceptics across the union, most notably in Austria and the Netherlands.

But what exactly do they hope to achieve?

Marine le Pen told euronews: “The goal of all eurosceptics is to halt the advance of the crazy machine that is the EU. What I mean by that is we want to block any transfer of sovereignty, the refusal of any new restrictions imposed by the European Union and we don’t want a further enlargement of the block.”

Le Pen, a 45-year-old lawyer with politics running through her veins, has been credited with the Front National’s success in France’s municipal elections held in March. The strong results bring her one step closer to her plan of holding a referendum on France’s membership of the European Union.

In early 2011, she took over from her father Jean Marie Le Pen as head of the party. Since then she has managed to increase her electoral base by avoiding racist comments but at the same time never criticising her father.